You use the classical R/3 characteristics and the integrated product and process engineering (iPPE) to represent the master data, if you want to plan products with many variants. Here, orders with small lot sizes are predominant.

In characteristics planning, not only individual characteristics and characteristic values are taken into account, but combinations of characteristics in the product, which were regularly observed in the past.

To guarantee a correct transfer and maintenance of the R/3 classes and characteristics in APO, you must set the option Determine class system in Customizing for APO to IBase and R/3 characteristics.

You find this work step in the SAP Reference IMG under Advanced Planner and Optimizer ® Basic Settings ® Define class system.

Only when this setting has been made are the R/3 classes and characteristics shown in the APO menu under Master data.

The characteristics planning is integrated in Demand Planning.

Within preplanning it is necessary to create a requirements forecast using detailed information, rather than merely individual characteristic values. There are often dependencies between different characteristics and characteristic values, which are important for future planning.

Within characteristic planning you can define combinations of characteristics for the products in planning tables. The information from the planning tables, together with the object dependencies for the component variants, serves to determine the forecast requirements.

To carry out the characteristics planning in APO, the configurable product is assigned a forecast profile. In the profile, all characteristics are defined that are relevant for planning.

If the production heuristic is started in production planning (demand planning), the system triggers the explosion of the iPPE and the requirements are determined.

The results in characteristics planning are then transferred to Demand Planning.

The component requirements are then transmitted to the current planning version for assembly/component planning requirements. When sales orders are received, production orders are created and exploded. The dependent requirements from the production orders take into account the planned assembly and component requirements.

You create and maintain the classes, characteristics and the iPPE structures in the DI System. The initial distribution of the data and the subsequent changes are transferred to the APO System via the CIF interface.